The Importance of Critical Thinking in Academic Briefs

This brief is “a short and concise written statement” The academic part of the brief means that there is a clear thesis statement and scholarly work that supports that statement.

• Academic Briefs will serve as tools to ensue students achieve the highest possible benefit from the readings, lectures, and discussions.
• These assignments help students focus on how to write a succinct thesis; a key skill required for future success.
• More questions = more learning. Thoughtful and reflective questions about what we discuss and what we read is a goal of this course.
• The briefs combine our exploration of theoretical phenomena and ideas from scholarly works, in-class discussion/activities, and current events.
• Students have concise and condensed notes on the readings and discussions that provides them with excellent study materials for assignments and quizzes. 

How to do this Assignment?

1. Use the Academic Brief Format provided below and the Assignment Evaluation Considerations in this syllabus to ensure the quality of the brief. Academic Briefs require clear thesis statements and scholarly support for thesis statements.
2. To organize your Academic Brief cut and paste the Academic Brief Format provided below into your own word document and fill in the material required.
3. Intro Videos 3-5 provide further detailed descriptions of the expectations and parameters for each part of the assignment. For example, Intro. Video 3 discusses Part 1 of the Academic Brief, Intro. Video 4 discusses Part 2 of the Academic Brief and Intro. Video 5 discusses in-depth Part 3 of the Academic Brief.
4. The assignments are due via Brightspace at 11:55pm on the due date. The submission spaces will be entitled #1 Academic Brief, #2 Academic Brief.
5. Your worst mark of the 3 Academic Briefs will be eliminated. This is an opportunity to get your best work recognized.
6. Use any style of citation that you are comfortable with and ensure that it is consistent (For example, APA, MLA, or Chicago Style). Include footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography.

Academic Brief Format

Copy and paste, follow the instructions and fill it in the format below with your written work.  Each Academic Brief assignment requires that all the 3 parts described below submitted in one file on Brightspace. In other words, Part I, II and III of the assignment are all due at the same time in the same file with all the requirements listed in the format included below.

Part I- Discuss Insights from Lecture, Video Lecture or Discussion Session

1. For this component, identify and discuss an issue discussed in lectures or discussion sessions that you have access to or have heard prior to the due date. For this section you can use any lecture or discussion session that you have access to or have heard prior to the due date.
2. Once you have decided what lecture or discussion session you are going to use, identify and critically engage with one idea/concept/issue noted in that lecture or discussion session that attracted interest. In a scholarly manner explain why it is important. Anything we discuss that piques your interest can be used for this part of the assignment it all depends on the topics we discuss.
3. Ensure you have a clear thesis and supporting arguments. Refer to the Assignment Evaluation Considerations section of this syllabus. It is important to critically engage with the ideas in a scholarly manner. You should have a thesis, prove your thesis, and include reference to one or two other scholarly works.

400 words for Part I

Part II Discuss Readings

1. For the discuss the readings component of the Academic Brief write about an issue that you found interesting in the readings that precede the assignment due date or that on the same week of the assignment due date. For example, if the due date is on the 5th week of the class you can use material from the 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, or 1st week of the class.
2. Choose one of the readings, required or recommended. Using your own words, and in a critical and scholarly manner, identify and critically engage with one idea/concept/issue you found of interest in the reading.
3. Ensure you have a clear thesis and supporting arguments. Refer to the Assignment Evaluations section of this syllabus. It is important to critically engage with the ideas in a scholarly manner. You should have a thesis, prove your thesis, and include reference to one or two other scholarly works.
4. Create 2 questions that relate to the article and larger issues discussed in the class. These questions may be used for in-class discussion and debate. Do not answer the question, rather craft a compelling question that can be further discussed in class.

400 Words for Part II

Part III Connect Analysis of Current Events
Students will include all the part III requirements in their single Brightspace submission for the academic brief. Part I, II and III of the assignment are all due at the same time in the same file with all the requirements listed in the assignment. Students need only copy and paste urls for the discussion board component.

1. Cite the url and title of one media item (article, podcast, or video clip) that relates to issues discussed during this class or in the readings. Only post the url on the Brightspace Discussion Board, do not post any commentary.
2. Cite the url and title of a media time (article, podcast, or video clip) that you found interesting, posted by anyone else (from any class or even the prof.) on the class Discussion Board. Do not post any commentary on the class Discussion Board.
3. In the Brightspace submission only, for this part of the academic brief students will write:

a. A 200-word commentary on the url/ media item you posted.
b. A 200-word commentary on a the url/ media item a classmate posted.

400 Words in Total for Part III